1. Field of the Invention (Technical Field)
The present invention relates to jewelry for displaying rotatable, interchangeable objects, such as beads. The invention utilizes a unique mechanism for changing the objects. The present invention is also a method for changing a decorative object in a piece of jewelry.
2. Background Art
Jewelry has always been considered an important element of a well-dressed individual, reflecting the personality and taste of the wearer. Due to the often significant expense involved in acquiring jewelry pieces, however, many individuals have necessarily limited their own collection to a few pieces. Such pieces may become outdated, or no longer coordinate with the wearer's wardrobe.
Another area that allows a person to express their individuality is the avocation of bead collecting. The increasing popularity of this field has led to the desire for novel ways to display beads. Jewelry is perfectly suited for display of beads, as the particular piece can often enhance the appearance of the selected bead. Interchangeability in such items of jewelry is very desirable in order to allow the wearer to change the particular bead or beads displayed.
Others in the past developed various jewelry pieces that allow for more than one displayed ornament or gem. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,241, to Kohl, entitled Hinged Finger Ring; U.S. Pat. No. 5,428,974, to Shinohara, entitled Omament, U.S. Pat. No. 5,353,608, to Berkowitz, entitled Multi-Use Jewelry Piece; U.S. Pat. No. 4,726,200, to Carter, entitled Combination Ring Pendant; U.S. Pat. No. 1,792,534, to Germain, entitled Article of Jewelry; and U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,585,183 and 1,553,198, both to Stern and entitled Jewelry, all disclose a fixed pair or multiple gems or stones that can be interchangeably displayed, either via a hinged set of rings/pendants or a pivotable/reversible setting.
Other patents disclosed various items of jewelry with interchangeable gems or stones. These include the following: U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,317, to Hendricks, entitled Gem Changer Ring; U.S. Pat. No. 4,080,803, to Suzuki, entitled Jewelry Article with Selectively Visible Portions; U.S. Pat. No. 792,334, to Levy, entitled Finger Ring; U.S. Pat. No. 922,212, to Tropin, entitled Jewelry; U.S. Pat. No. 685,044, to Haussmann, entitled Jewelry; U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,757, to Mesica, entitled Jewelry with Rotatable ornamentation; U.S. Pat. No. 4,879,882, to Johnson, entitled jewelry with Interchangeable Elements; U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,176, to Lichtenstein, entitled Earring Assembly with Removable Ornaments; U.S. Pat. No. 4,430,869, to Zinni, entitled Pendant Frame with Retained Elements; U.S. Pat. No. 4,353,225, to Rogers, entitled Jewelry for Animals; U.S. Pat. No. 4,259,850, to Lalieu, entitled Eaning with Selectable Decorative Element; and U.S. Pat. No. 1,710,734, to Johnson, entitled Pendant.
The prior art delineated above shares the common feature of lack of a stable and secure closure mechanism. The need for a mechanism that allows easy interchangeability, but resists breakage due to forcing or overuse, prompted the development of the present invention.
The present invention is an apparatus for displaying ornaments or beads.
It successfully addresses the problems encountered with the wear and tear that results from repeatedly changing the ornament, through the use of a novel twisting and sliding catch mechanism. The construction of the present invention results in jewelry pieces that allow interchangeability of displayed beads in an attractive setting, while decreasing the risk of breakage of the holder and subsequent loss of the displayed beads.